January Educator of the Month: Serena Bendycki
As our January Educator of the Month, ELEVEN Australia Educator Serena Bendycki is filling us in on hair repair and what she expects to see this coming year!
Serena Bendycki, ELEVEN Australia Educator, is our Featured Educator for January 2021.
We featured you as an educator back in 2018. What's changed for you since?
2019 was a big year for me personally and professionally. I got married and joined the ELEVEN Australia’s national team. I also just celebrated five years in my studio this year.
2020 has been crazy for everyone, but ELEVEN has been really good about going virtual and trying to provide as much digital support as possible. I feel grateful to be part of such a community.
ELEVEN also recently launched their color line, which Premier will be bringing on in January. As a member of the national team, I’ll be assisting in training for that, so I’m super excited to get things started in the New Year.
Have you been able to teach during this time? How has that changed?
Since I switched over to the national team, which focuses more on in-salon learning, I haven’t been teaching during the pandemic, unfortunately, though I was recently able to teach a couple classes virtually.
After everything with Covid settles down, what are you most looking forward to doing?
I miss traveling and interacting with people in person. Stylists are creative thinkers, and we need that hands-on experience to thrive.
Do you feel like repairing hair is going to be a big focus for 2021, or do you think people are doing a pretty good job keeping up their hair health, or are you seeing a lot of disastrous results from at-home hair jobs?
I haven’t seen too many major issues from clients managing their hair at home. People do seem to be willing to go with better products since they’re not going to the salon as much as they used to.
That said, repairing hair should always be top of mind. Hair is a living thing, and we do a lot to it. We should always have a repair regimen focused on putting in what we take out and restoring damaged hair.
What are the most common issues you see people struggling with in terms of stressed or damaged hair?
Breakage is a really common issue—whether from heat, overprocessing, or natural elements. I also see a lot of people that don’t know the maintenance they should be doing for the style they’re wearing. It’s important to educate clients on caring for their style and having realistic goals to keep their hair happy and healthy.
What is your advice to anyone struggling with their hair health during this time?
Give your hair a break: If you don’t have to style your hair and go out, don’t—just give it a breather. Heat protectants and leave-in treatments are a great way to care for hair at home too.
Guests should also try to keep regular appointments. The longer you wait between cuts, the more breakage there will be, so it’s important to get in before it’s really bad.
What are your favorite repair products from ELEVEN Australia?
Repair My Hair Nourishing Shampoo and
Conditioner are perfect as a first step in rebuilding damaged hair; they not only strengthen and repair hair, but they have a built-in heat protectant too.
Miracle Spray Hair Treatment is great also. It won’t weigh hair down, but it helps revitalize hair and protect it from sun and heat. Plus, it moisturizes hair and prevents split ends.
What hair trends are you anticipating for 2021?
I think we’ll see more shaggy cuts, more color blocking, and stronger “money pieces”—some of the older trends that are making a comeback in fashion right now.
I expect that people will also continue moving away from the icy blondes to the warmer honey tones.
Do you have a New Year’s resolution? How’s it going?
I don’t have an official New Year’s resolution, but I do plan on putting more focus on my business this year. I want to further my education with the new color launch and really work on organizing the business side of my career as a stylist.
I’m also doing Fashion Week this year, and that has always been a big goal for me professionally, so I’m super excited to participate in that and scratch it off my list.
What are your professional goals for 2021?
I am really excited to sort of re-energize myself as a stylist and educator. 2020 was a crazy year, and I am personally looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.
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